Pankhuri Awasty, who plays a rape victim in Star Plus show Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka , rubbishes the theory that women's clothes incite men.“ If short dresses were the cause how come old ladies, children and even comatose women are not spared either? Burqa clad females have also been sexually harassed. Who ever made this corelation has no  idea what he/she is talking about.”  

Interestingly the  same argument was put forward by the sister of one of the convicted Nirbhaya rapists, who  is now facing the noose. Here Pankhuri, who began her acting career with Razia Sultan ( &TV) says, “ It is difficult to pin point why men indulge in this dastardly act. Sometimes as in my show (based on popular Turkish dram Fatmagül'ün Suçu Ne first aired on Zindagi), men who are suppressed by their parents or are unsuccessful in life vent their fury on poor hapless women. ”

She further added that, unfortunately many of the rape victims eventually get married to their rapists. "So we can fathom the hatred these  women must be harboring inside themselves. So can you imagine the negativity around and they have to spend their entire life in that hell and also raise families.”
 

Pankhuri did not want to wade into the north south India divide regarding woman’s safety. “ I don’t have rape statistics for the Dravidian states, so will not say that the north is worse off. Agreed, with the south being more educated and having matriarchal societies, things seem to be better. But the horrible molestation case in Bengaluru during New Year, makes one wonder if it still holds true.”
 

She also bats for capital punishment for rapists. “Their animal tendencies don’t deserve mercy.  Again  I am not a jurist, so will prefer that more competent people take these calls.”

Anil Merani